That giant sucking sound you hear today is the sound of jobs being outsourced as President Obama signs into law three free trade deals; South Korea, Colombia and Panama. According to the Economic Policy Institute, passing the Korea Free Trade deal will likely cost this country 159,000 jobs.

The three trade deals remain basically unchanged since George W. Bush negotiated them in his last term when he was unable to get them approved by the Democrats in Congress. Just like it took Nixon to go to China, it apparently takes a Democratic president to force through NAFTA-style free trade agreements that destroy American jobs.

Why would Obama push through jobs destroying trade deals in the middle of a jobs crisis? Possibly, as part of Obama’s extreme bipartisanship fetish he is willing to do anything to attract bipartisan support; but more likely, he did it because the biggest corporate lobbyists have been pushing hard it for years.

The passage of these three free trade deals tells you something important about President Obama and many members of Congress. The problem isn’t that most of our elected officials actually want to destroy Americans who have jobs, all things being equal they do want Americans to have jobs. The problem is  protecting American jobs is a much lower priority for Obama and most members of Congress than is giving the large corporate lobbyists what they are willing to donate millions to see advanced.

It is always good to be reminded where you stand.